Dwayne Johnson paid a heartfelt tribute to his “friend” and “childhood hero” Hulk Hogan with an Instagram post early Friday morning, one day after the professional wrestling legend died at the age of 71.

Dwayne Johnson, better known to wrestling fans as The Rock, has hailed Hulk Hogan as his childhood hero in a thoughtful tribute.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has posted a touching tribute to his "childhood hero" Hulk Hogan, recalling meeting the late wrestling legend when he was just 12 before going on to face him in the Wrestlemania ring.

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer and former world champion Hulk Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died Thursday at the age of 71, according to Clearwater, Florida, police and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Thaddeus Bullard, also known as Titus O’Neill in the WWE, was among the members of the company who weren’t happy with how Bollea conveyed his message, construing it as Bollea saying he was upset he got caught, rather than apologizing for his words (something that Bollea vehemently denied).